An audiovisual masterpiece (that water!) which does a decent job at concealing its repetitiveness and shortage of content behind the joy of being a pirate. [05/2018, p.70]

Spellbreak tries to reinvigorate the worn-out battle royale genre by ditching guns and fortifications in favor of an excellent magic combat system (combining spells works great!) supported by remarkable character mobility. The result is a frenetic, very satisfying game. And it’s free, so it’s easier to turn a blind eye to the fact that the map is large but empty, and there isn’t even a simple chat system to make communication within the team easier. [12/2020, p.37]

A solid, pretty and enjoyable tactical game held back by lack of the strategic layer and unengaging story. [09/2016, p.44]

Due to very basic enemy AI Ghost of a Tale is not a particularly good stealth game, but its fairy tale charm is irresistible and although I worked hard for hours to escape the fortress, I was leaving it with genuine sorrow. [05/2018, p.78]

Based on a true story, this dark thriller (a mix between a point’n’click and a survival horror/stealth game) excels at creating an overwhelming atmosphere that brings to mind David Fincher’s “Se7en”. This Is the Zodiac Speaking is not much of a looker and suffers from various flaws, but it really did chill my blood a couple of times. [12/2020, p.40]

I’m glad that Funcom decided to release Secret World Legends and gave me the chance to experience this unique MMORPG after I missed it 5 years ago. [09/2017, p.36]

Cryptark is built around an interesting idea, offers a wide array of weapons and makes you adapt to variable conditions. What holds it back is the fact that it sometimes crosses the line between demanding and unfair. [09/2017, p.37]

An interactive cartoon, a 2D adventure game, a puzzle game embellished with small arcade challenges – Lost in Play does all of that and it does it well. It’s also a great family title, as it’s funny, virtually non-violent and satisfying both to kids and adults.

A textbook example of a 2D point'n'click adventure game. Probably just a handful of players will decide to give it a chance but they will be rewarded with a good story served with 'early SCUMM' visuals. [January 2012, p.73]

Adventure on Clover Island is a return to the genre’s roots – it’s obvious that inspiration came from classic 3D platformers, e.g. Ratchet & Clank or Jak & Daxter. Tried-and-true solutions were mixed with some original ideas and the result is an enjoyable game with well-designed levels and accessible gameplay. If you’re not a kid though, you’ll probably find Skylar & Plux way to easy. [09/2017, p.44]

Cognition feels like some old game by Sierra and this is its biggest strength. [1/2013, p.72]

It’s not a great roguelike, it has some technical and design issues and the cool idea behind the whole game carries it only for so long, but at its best Cult of the Lamb guarantees immense fun spiced up with black humor and a phenomenal soundtrack.

You will soon discover that during fights you can wave your Wii Remote randomly and still defeat most of the enemies. The problem is that apart from the new control system there is nothing fresh in Skyward Sword. [January 2012, p.75]

If you haven’t played this great game before, you should, because its combat is still fun as hell, and the atmosphere and overall design are fantastic. The Ultimate Edition is the perfect opportunity to catch up, especially that only this version offers a free upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series X. [12/2020, p.49]

Nightfall is a decent add-on which I properly enjoyed, but it’s a shame that the developers lacked the courage to experiment with gameplay to greater extent. [08/2018, p.68]

I found Knot to be a very enjoyable, relaxing change from my usual shooters and other action games. [10/2016, p.63]

Unrailed! is intense, a bit chaotic, at times wearisome, but highly addictive. [12/2020, p.50]

It’s the same game on PC and iOS, which explains its simplicity and low difficulty level. It just wasn’t designed to steal months of your life, but works great in short, relaxing sessions. [05/2015, p.64]

On the one hand, Assassin's Creed Shadows is more of the same, but on the other hand, it is a new start for the series thanks to two very different playable characters. At its core, the game is a lot of fun, somewhat spoiled by the bland open world and dull missions.

The ending turned out to be a huge disappointment but I will not let the last fifteen minutes or so overshadow my generally good impression. Over 20 hours that led to it were engaging, the pixel art is cute and the music is even better. [08/2018, p.70]

The world of Batuu is very polished, the environments are detailed, and there’s a story to play through, but there are also some issues that mar the experienced. You can’t edit lots without using codes, some missions are bugged (I couldn’t finish the evil storyline because of that!), and once you reach the pinnacle of your career, there’s not much left to do beside side missions. [12/2020, p.51]

Although the events are usually similar in each playthrough – and the same goes for the consequences of our choices – it’s hard not to fall under the game’s charm. [05/2020, p.41]

Behind pixels the size of couscous pellets you’ll find sheer terror that even photorealistic visuals would not be able to mirror. The tension in The Enigma of Salazar House is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and I think only Song of Horror comes close in that regard. [12/2020, p.62]

An idea to mix jRPG with Minecraft was a wild one, but it works surprisingly well. What drags DQB down is its excessive simplicity in terms of quests, story and combat. It would be a great game to play with a child, but sadly it lacks co-op. [13/2016, p.69]

Umbrella Corps’ metascore suggests that it’s one of the worst games of this generation, but if you look past its low budget and bugs, you’ll see a fresh, unconventional shooter brimming with brilliant small innovations. [09/2016, p.52]

Despite tricky subject and intention to shock this rather simple adventure game (with some stealth touches) managed to escape unintended comicality by delivering a solid, mature tale set in a twisted and internally consistent (therefore believable) world. [08/2018, p.80]

Some of the fights seem too repetitive but many of the game’s shortcomings are made up for by its fantastic atmosphere of the original anime. [03/2020, p.60]

Baseball simulation became even better but I still think it’s not the best sport to turn into a video game. There are just too many nuances – how you grip the bat, how your wrist works etc. – that are impossible to recreate. [07/2015, p.61]

The game is pure fun until it becomes painstakingly difficult. The problem is not even the difficulty level itself, it’s the fact that when you fail, you have to restart the whole huge level and you lose all the character progression you achieved on it. Poof! The last 40 minutes never happened. [09/2017, p.60]

Reheating this antique was a risky venture, but the outcome is surprisingly good. If you turn a blind eye to its obvious archaism, what remains is pure fun. [CD-Action 13/2012, p.77]

Not bad in small doses but can get tedious during long sessions. Works better in multiplayer. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.69]

In comparison to rather modest predecessors Zombie Army 4 is a true giant. Such that sometimes all of its splendour gets a bit tiresome. [03/2020, p.66]

A strategy game stripped from everything that’s not essential, boiled down to the essence of what’s really important in the genre. [13/2014, p.65]

Star Wars Outlaws turned out to be less of a typical Ubisoft game than I feared, offers a lot of great atmosphere and lets you roam around the galaxy quite freely, experience numerous gangster adventures and feel at least a little bit like a real smuggler. It can only gain in the coming weeks if the developers roll up their sleeves and fix some issues that include god-awful enemy AI and a couple of bugs.

A rather simple RPG doused in Slavic folklore and an absolutely phenomenal soundtrack that marries Slavic and Balkan sounds in one big genre experiment. [03/2020, p.70]

It’s rather short but if you still long for Portals maybe this one could fill the void in your heart. [03/2020, p.73]

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak focuses on introducing new content and does not offer substantial changes or improvements in gameplay mechanics. It was made for players who have spent dozens of hours in Monster Hunter Rise and provides a reasonable challenge, but I was annoyed by the fact that some quests look like they were copied from the base game. Also be aware that, unlike the latter, Sunbreak lacks single-player content.

For a game that mocks RPG clichés and pelts you with endless stream of hit-or-miss jokes and cultural references, The Dungeon of Nabe… Nehu… Neul… goddamit… The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk is surprisingly solid in terms of gameplay mechanics and features genuinely fun tactical combat. [12/2020, p.68]

If you want to see what zumba is all about, Zumba Fitness Rush is a great introduction to this discipline. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.71]

Clustertruck’s simple, fast gameplay was boiled down to three cardinal rules: 1) reach the finish line, 2) jump from truck to truck, 3) the floor is lava. [13/2016, p.75]

Puzzle Agent 2 combines brilliant story and clever puzzles – and that's the Holy Grail of adventure games. It does, however, recycle some of the challenges from its predecessor. [August 2011, p.50]

Project Cars gave me some unforgettable moments and I can imagine it becoming an unrivaled game in the future, but right now it can’t match the titans of the genre in terms of content and there are a lot of bugs and glitches to iron out. [07/2015, p.66]

BPM’s developers managed to bring together their love for classic first-person shooters and a fresh idea. The result of their ambitions is a hellishly fast FPS with procedurally generated environments and a twist. Good reflexes are not enough to complete even the very first level, because to survive, you need to sync your actions to the beat of the music (the soundtrack is fantastic, by the way). For instance, if you pull the trigger at the wrong moment, your gun will misfire. Once you get used to it, you’ll be rewarded with intense, satisfying gameplay. [12/2020, p.71]

Eyes in the Dark is a small but feisty mix of a roguelite and a 2D platformer. It’s atmosphere, art style and engaging gameplay make up for the lack of originality and not the best controls (controller highly recommended!).

It won’t be a hit of Hotline Miami’s proportions but the game is well worth recommending to all fans of the genre. Especially because everything, that’s not welded to the ground, can become a weapon. [05/2020, p.76]

Lies of P is a solid, well-thought-out game that – apart from some minor touches of originality – sticks closely to the formula developed by FromSoftware. Although every aspect of this Soulslike could be better, I believe fans of the genre will have a lot of fun playing it (if you can call dying 30 times in a row a lot of fun, that is).

The latest entry in the heist series has the potential to become a worthy successor to Payday 2 which managed to bring together a huge community of players. We just need to wait until the developers provide more content and add some pretty basic online functionalities that are missing (e.g. voice chat), because the game’s current state leaves a lot to be desired.

An old school fighting game with a really compelling combat system. The Switch port is rather an artistic than technological feat, sporting loads of bugs and other shortcomings, though. [05/2020, p.80]

Age of Calamity is like a t-shirt with your favorite band’s artwork – remove the love of their music and all you’ve got is a piece of clothing. Similarly, if you play Hyrule Warriors not familiar with Breath of the Wild, you’ll miss tons of fan service and end up with a pretty and relaxing but rather basic hack and slash. [01/2021, p.64]

Onde offers pleasantly fluid gameplay at a calming pace and an interesting movement system, but I feel the elements of danger are completely unnecessary, as they clash with the game’s atmosphere and relaxing nature.

While it starts exceptionally strong, towards the end the game gets boring and the finale seems as creative as something I myself could have written in ten minutes. [04/2020, p.52]

It’s impossible to not love the little one-eyed fighters but then again the remastered version is only for the ones that truly miss them. And they probably have the lag free PSP game already. [05/2020, p.83]

In terms of the story and exploration it’s still DmC, but look at the rebalanced combat and you’ll see the good old DMC. [05/2015, p.78]

The edition for the new generation of consoles is much better than the old one, especially when it comes to graphics (spectacular!) and loading times (lightning fast). Sadly, despite many improvements, some of the game’s flaws remained unaddressed, which fortunately does not change the fact that NBA 2K21 is now simply enjoyable. Just be careful and don’t buy the old version by mistake! [01/2021, p.75]

A space sim, an RPG and a 4X strategy mixed together skillfully, but held back by outdated technology and excessive grind. [08/2017, p.66]

From the start The Secret World absorbed me like the best of Stephen King's novels – it proves that an MMO can set up a great mood and tell intriguing stories. It needs some polish in many respects but it's definitely worth a try as a surprisingly good and fresh blend of an MMORPG and an adventure game. [September 2012, p.48]

Kim Swift's new game puts a lot of emphasis on dexterity – solutions to most puzzles are obvious at the first glance but executing them is not that easy. [September 2012, p.54]

Three interesting career paths provide many hours of fun. [06/2015, p.61]

Jupiter’s icy moon of Europa failed to make a good first impression on me, but the longer I played, the more I enjoyed the new map. I do not miss Mars or Mercury anymore. Returning players may not be happy about Bungie getting rid of some content and making a substantial part of old gear obsolete, but I understand the need to do some cleaning up before evolving the game. At its core Destiny 2 remains the same thing you loved (or hated) and its shooting mechanics are still among the best you can experience. [01/2021, p.78]

Portal is still the champion in the category of ‘first-person puzzle games’ but Magrunner enters the ring without shame. The idea of infusing a futuristic puzzle game with horror elements (Cthulhu!) did not work out that well, but the problems for the player to solve are clever and demanding. [CD-Action 08/2013, p.78]

Twisted Dreams is as old school as it gets. It’s also long and offers some additional modes for really hardcore gamers who should like Black Forest’s platformer. [CD-Action 05/2013, p.73]

When you launch Steel Division, you should be aware of what you’re dealing with. There’s a lot of old school strategy depth here – so much that many may simply drown in it. [08/2017, p.68]

Maybe I was spoiled by Civilization, but Master of Orion struck me as scant in terms of bells and whistles. It also doesn’t look and doesn’t sound particularly good, but transparent rules, well-designed interface and variety of paths to victory make it a very reasonable proposal for the fans of classic 4X games. [11/2016, p.68]

Opponents know how to bluff, they lure the player into ‘traps’ and despite humorous presentation things at the table can get tense. [CD-Action 08/2013, p.81]

It's a pity that the game ends after 3-4 hours. Maybe if it was twice as long its attractive concept would wear out, but I had so much fun I wished it would last longer. [September 2012, p.64]

New Ratchet & Clank does not bring anything fresh to the table in terms of gameplay, but it skilfully borrows from other games and offers something interesting all the time. It’s unpretentious, charming and fun to play. [01/2014, p.71]

A great looking game that successfully blends different genres and offers the most distinctive setting from all Supergiant’s titles. Its ending and lack of online PvP along with framerate drops disappointed me though. [10/2017, p.48]

I did complain in this review but as a whole Shades of Darkness is the best thing Heroes VI has to offer. [CD-Action 08/2013, p.84]

Despite low budget Caracal Games managed to fulfill their ambitions to a significant degree. There are few decent games about parkour and Downward is a welcome addition to that niche. [10/2017, p.51]

Reikon Games’ greatest achievement is that they managed to infuse this simple twin-stick shooter with more atmosphere than majority of expansive AAA games can offer. The game looks amazing and the soundtrack is superb. So is the satisfying, brutal combat. Unfortunately difficulty levels were balanced absurdly – you either face no challenge at all or repeatedly bang your head against a wall. I was also disappointed by the fact that the game promises more than it delivers (the city acting as a hub turned out to be just a hollow shell) and becomes tedious due to primitive design of final levels. [12/2017, p.41]

I can appreciate simplicity, but in this case I would welcome a wider variety of maps, buildings and units. Still when I launched Antihero to check something while writing the review, I got immediately carried away by its addictive asynchronous multiplayer, forgetting why I launched it in the first place. [10/2017, p.53]

I’m not emotionally attached to Metroid series, so for me Samus Returns is just a solid metroidvania game with a bland art style, devoid of the spark of individuality that turned Ori, Apotheon or Hollow Knight into memorable gems. [12/2017, p.45]

Tempest Rising provides plenty of fun and uses familiar elements from classic RTS games, such as army and base management in the style of good old Command & Conquer. A few small steps backwards can be forgiven – there's no revolution here, but it's a solid game with wonderful music.

In a good team, Elden Ring Nightreign is an extremely satisfying roguelite game that impresses with its depth, mechanics, and rich content. However, with balance issues and matchmaking problems, it can become a frustrating experience at times.

A slow-paced game that requires attention and imagination but repays with stylish beauty and solid puzzles. [08/2017, p.75]

One of those finds that makes digging through indie games worthwhile. [05/2014, p.71]

It’s a promising start to a new season. The beginning is a bit sluggish, but once the story speeds up, it’s hard to put the game down. If you’re not a fan of Telltale’s approach to games though, be aware that the studio’s hallmarks are over The Enemy Within. [10/2017, p.58]

A really satisfying survival game, focused more on fighting the environment than monsters. At times, it doesn't communicate with the player in the best way, but manages to draw you in front of the screen with more inventions and opportunities to expand your flying house.

It’s a poor remaster, but what the game did right five years age (the story, the music, sensible puzzles) it still does right today. [06/2018, p.55]

To keep it short and simple: the PC version is a solid port. Do not expect wonders or any efforts to radically improve the game. Let's be honest – it's the weakest installment of the trilogy. [June 2011, p.59]

Changes introduced by the update are not far-reaching or crucial, but such improvements as fast loading or more comfortable controls make the experience more enjoyable. Looking at character faces, animations, and some elements of gameplay design, it’s hard not to notice The Witcher 3 was released in 2015, but it plays great in 60 FPS, the Continent is beautiful like never before and it’s still the immensely fun game many people fell in love with.

The game does not stick closely to the book, but I find it to be its strength – it wouldn’t be fun to simply click through events you remember. What bothered me is that while boldly slimming down the traditional point’n’click elements Daedalic created a game that lacks challenge almost completely, which makes the story the only engaging component. But gosh, the visuals are fantastic. [10/2017, p.60]

A piece of a solid game but I can’t shake the feeling that it’s just a quick entrée before No More Heroes 3 which surely will be bigger, more interesting and more bombastic. Enough looking into the past, Suda, I’m waiting for something fresh. [03/2019, p.49]

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide makes a great first impression. Unfortunately, over time, some flaws come to light, like an awful main story or scant content. It’s still a good game that WH40K fans should play, but it could’ve been much better.

Giga Wrecker’s experimental, low-budget nature is not for everyone, but if you give the game a chance, you might enjoy its great physics-based environmental puzzles and challenging boss fights. [05/2017, p.44]

The gameplay is simple and brilliant but the game itself shines as it should only in multiplayer. [10/2017, p.68]

Great visuals and a huge map are perfect foundations for a good open world game, but Wildlands falls short of expectations (because of unpleasant driving and flight models among other things) and it’s up to Ubisoft to remedy that. [05/2017, p.46]

Ten enjoyable hours, great visuals, excellent combat system, too much repetitiveness. Sundered is no Ori and the Blind Forest, but metroidvania fans should enjoy it. [10/2017, p.70]

Despite some flaws Gemini Rue is an extraordinary game that will offer good times not only to point'n'click fans but also to those gamers who lost track of the genre around the Beneath the Steel Sky era. [June 2011, p. 71]

Astebreed is most fun when you try to beat it on high difficulty level without using continues while improving your score over and over again. If you’re not interested in that, you’ll spend no more than one evening with this game. [08/2014, p.73]

A solid dungeon crawler (in the vein of Legend of Grimrock) that could have used some fresh, distinctive ideas. [12/2017, p.63]

I’m waiting for Lego Worlds to be thoroughly patched (right now it suffers from some technical issues and the camera is seriously annoying) and I intend to revisit it on regular basis as a perfect family game. [05/2017, p.54]

DMC4SE does not improve the gameplay as much as DmC: Definitive Edition did, it does not offer the spectacle God of War is famous for, but I assure you that in no other game building combos is so much fun. [09/2015, p.42]

The Chronicles of Nyanya is like a shotgun loaded with popcultural references. The game clearly leans towards comedy, but its gameplay mechanics, though very basic, are well-thought-out. [06/2018, p.67]

Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is as beautiful as it is original. The developer’s ambition and fresh approach to the city builder genre are commendable, but the decision to force players to discover the game’s mechanics on their own has brought mixed results, while the lack of a proper challenge becomes a problem during longer sessions.

If in your dictionary the 'point'n'click' entry lies close to 'good old times', We Negotiate With Terrorists is the game for you. If not, you can – as Hector would say – go #$%^&^ yourself. Twice! [June 2011, p.78]

I respect the Cold Symmetry team for their courage to put their own twist on the soulslike formula. In Mortal Shell almost nothing works how you would expect it to and even if the game doesn’t always benefit from that, it feels fresh and is definitely worth checking out. [11/2020, p.36]

The game is obviously still a work in progress but that did not diminish my enthusiasm for both dynamic campaigns. [10/2017, p.77]